Text Only

Think about the people closest to you. Tell us about how the coronavirus has affected them, and their life.

<strong> When I think about people close to me who have been affected, the first person I think about is my partner</strong> since we live together. His mental health has declined.<strong> He has been struggling a lot with depression, just as I have.</strong> Neither of us have had the ability to take time away from work to see a professional to work through what we're experiencing, or what we were working through prior to the pandemic.<strong> I worry about him a lot. I worry about me a lot, too.</strong> The other people that come to mind are family.<strong> I've lost four family members</strong> during this pandemic alone.<strong> I've watched one of my family members lose stable housing</strong> and find shelter with others in our family.<strong> I've watched family members who used to be close start to fight</strong> over trivial political leanings, over their disbelief in vaccines or the virus, and over conspiracy theories. Some of the family members who I used to think were close are strangers to me now. I feel like I never knew them.<strong> I wish the pandemic hadn't been politicized in the way that it was. I wish my family had been able to work through it together.</strong>